Campen: line has to study mistakes, then move on

Nov. 29, 2012

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Offensive line coach James Campen said he doesn’t want his players dwelling on their performance last week against the New York Giants but also said they can’t just write it off as bad game, either.

The Packers gave up five sacks and seven hits on quarterback Aaron Rodgers in their 38-10 loss to the Giants on Sunday night, and Campen said he went over the performance in excruciating detail with his players early in the week.

“You have to dissect it,” Campen said today, “look at it, analyze it, see what happened, why it happened, and make the corrections. Players and myself have to be accountable, and you move on from it. But you certainly don’t brush it underneath the rug and say, ‘Oh, well heck, it’s a bad day,’ or, ‘Gee whiz, one of those deals.’ That’s a loser’s mentality. You have to identify it and make the necessary corrections and move on.”

The line as a whole had a bad night against what might be the NFL’s most talented defensive line, but tackles T.J. Lang and Marshall Newhouse probably had the roughest night.

Giants end Jason Pierre-Paul might be the best defensive lineman in the NFL, and though he didn’t have any sacks or quarterback hits created numerous pressures and problems going mostly against Lang. This was Lang’s third game at right tackle after he’d played mostly left guard since last season. He’s also been playing with his right arm heavily wrapped to protect an elbow injury.

“I believe in T.J.,” Campen said. “And everyone believes in T.J. And T.J. believes in himself. And he would be the first guy to say (the position change) is not an excuse. Whatever player goes out there and puts a helmet on is expected to play and start a game for us. That’s the way it is. Our job is to win, and if you don’t win things happen. That would not be an excuse, nor would T.J. even use that as an excuse.”

Defensive end Osi Umenyiora beat Newhouse for a sack and a quarterback hit, and put pressure on Rodgers that helped create sacks and hits on several other plays. Campen used his general answer for when a player struggles by saying Newhouse abandoned his technique fundamentals on several plays. That can mean different things for different players.

Campen expressed strong disappointment in the number of hits Rodgers took but said that by Wednesday morning he and the players had to move on to playing Minnesota on Sunday.

“If you’re asking me if I felt like crap afterward, you’re damn right I did,” Campen said. “Did I absorb that, too.? Yeah. Do I take accountability for the action of that group? You’re damn right I do.”